Lucille joined the South St. Paul Chapter 588 on December 4, 1962. Her sponsor was Evelyn Sirbasku who had asked her to join so Evelyn could have one more enrollee to help get the Award of Achievement. She earned her Academy of Friendship on May 2, 1965 in Duluth, MN. She earned her College of Regent on June 29, 1969 in Chicago, IL. And she earned her Star Recorder on June 27, 1972 in Moosehaven, FL (in the rain). She was also Chaplain on the Ritual Team whichwon many awards around the State as well as at the International Level. She held many Chairmen positions at the Chapter level but the one she really enjoyed was as Star Recorder doing the Poinsettia Fundraiser in the fall and the Geranium Fundraiser in the spring. When Lucille would do her meeting nights, it was done with flair. She always had an elegant lace tablecloth, sometimes candles and most times her favorite Strawberry Spinach Salad. She brought this salad to funeral lunches at which she helped serve as strawberries are her favorite.

Lucille often wears purple as it is her favorite color. Lucille became a Lifetime member on December 4, 2012 by paying her dues each year. At about the same time she was honored as a fifty year member of the Moose Mixed Doubles Bowling League. Every so often when she would miss a few pins you could hear her say “Cheese and Crackers”, which was interpreted as her way of cussing. To the best of anyone’s knowledge this was the worst language out of her mouth. Oh My! Now for a little bit about our Moose Sister Lou and her experiences over the last 100 years.

Lucille Ann Schoenberg, daughter of Frances and Joseph Schoenberg was born on October 1, 1915. She was born during high water and was raised in a home on River Road, now Water Street, in St. Paul, MN with her 2 sisters and 2 brothers. She attended St. Matthew School through the seventh grade and had to climb the “green stairs” to get up the hill every school day. Lucille attended 8th grade at Humboldt but was pulled from school by her father as he did not feel it was necessary for girls to complete school. Lucille stayed home to help with her siblings, take care of the chickens, rabbits, cats and dogs, and help her mother around the house. Her father worked as a brick maker at win City Brickyard for 23 cents/hour and her mother was a full time homemaker.

When Lucille was at St. Matthew she was a catcher in the Kitten Ball League. This ended when the Nuns thought it “unladylike” and objected to her squatting down in her black bloomers. Lucille was also an accomplished horsewoman. Her uncle had a stable down the road and she rode as often as possible. If she wasn’t riding she was running or playing in the mud and often would go down to the river to wash off. She remembers one time that she went in and her skirt held herafloat as floated down the river. In the winter she enjoyed ice skating and would enjoying doing it now. Lucille mastered the violin while her sisters played piano and her brother played the saxophone. Lucille also enjoyed the cutter races held on the river.

The introduction of the telephone was of interest – she has known the crank style, party lines, rotary phones and the push button phone which she still uses. An interesting story was her having to go tell a neighbor to get off the phone so it could be used (no cell phone for her!). When the neighbor would not let others use the phone, she contacted the phone company. The company monitored the lines and his privilege of having a telephone was removed!!

Lucille worked at cleaning houses and as a stitch operator at National Checking. At National Checking she would loop wires up through the binding of 100 pages and complete 100 books a day. She did this job for 25 years, retiring at 65. She has never been known to be dressed in anything but skirts, dressy tops, hosiery, heels and have her hair well coiffed. After retirement she did volunteer work at the Veter-an Administration in Minneapolis, working for three physicians as a file clerk for 23 years. When records were computerized, she volunteered as a coffee server and was soon asked to be greeter at the door which she has done to this day. Lucille has logged more than 11,400 volunteer hours for which she re-ceived a plaque as a Thank-You.

While working at National Checking, she found time to go on a blind date and met Gerald Lyons. He swept her off her feet, dancing into her heart and life. They married in 1938 and spent the next 46 years raising two boys, Rodney and Greg, and a daughter Pat. Pat passed away at 60 from cancer. Gerald was a machinist and a Moose member who was a Ritualist. One reason Lucille participated on the Ladies Ritual Team. Gerald passed away in 1984 from cancer and a coronary.

Lucille has lived in her current home in South St. Paul since 1953 raising her family. She currently lives with her son Greg (Skip). He tells us that when they moved in he remembers the area was still mostly farm land. Her other son Rodney and his wife live a block away. Lucille’s hobbies were doing embroidery, bowling and dancing. She currently has 13 Grandchildren; 17 Great Grandchildren and 7 Great, Great Grandchildren. Lucille is also active in the Singles Club at her church, Inver Grove Heights Assembly of God where they will host a celebration for her on Saturday, October 3rd. Come join us at the South St Paul Moose Lodge on Sunday, October 4, 2 pm to 4 pm where we will celebrate with a potluck luncheon.